Journey to the past
by An Angel Flying with broken wings
Summary: When the lone survior of the Avila Family uses a time machine to screw up the future. Xiana sends her son; Abel, her daughter; Belial and their friends Percy and Amber to the past to make things right again.  Done with Yami Dargoness of Dark's permsion.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Nor do I own Abel, Belial, their parents, their aunts and uncles, or the Avila Family, which the bad guy comes from; those belong to Yami Dragoness of the Dark who has given me permission to use them. I DO own the time machine, the bad Guy himself, and Abel and Belial's friends who travel with them into the past.

* * *

It was a cold night in Italy near the Vongola mansion. But the weather didn't bother the lone figure hiding in the trees, wait...plotting...cold, hard eyes looked through the windows of the manor, at the one in particular that gave him a view of the reason for his misfortunes. The one that had taken everything from him, his home, his family, his life. She sat there in a comfy looking armchair, long black hair tied back into a loose braid suitable to sleep in. Sitting next to her and holding her pale hand in his own tanned one was a dirty blonde haired man. His eyes were close, head tilted slightly to the side so as if he was trying to hear more. At the adults' feet were sprawled two children. The boy, no more than seventeen, lay at his mother's feet, his own black hair tied back in a horsetail, easygoing face turned towards a TV the watcher could not see. He blinked brilliant blue eyes lazily, almost sleepily. Next to him, lying at her father's feet was a young girl not yet in her teens. Without taking her eyes (silver like her monster of a mother's eyes) off the TV, she reached out and poked her brother, who retaliated by tugging her dirty blonde hair. He grinned while she let out a whine that was impossible to hear from the distance the watcher watched from.

He growled his teeth clenched. It wasn't fair. That bitch! That monster that killed his Family that took everything from him didn't deserve all this. Not the warm house, the loving husband, or the kids. But he would change that. He would take the happiness she didn't deserve from her with the help of that damned woman's younger sister. The invention the youngest Xi sibling had made with her master's help would prove to be their undoing once he got hold of it. Smirking, the watcher drew back, disappearing into the night with none the wiser to his presence, and the child he was supposed to watch over was watching a movie in her room no idea what her trusted butler was really up to on his "vacation"...

_**A WEEK LATER…**_

It was a pretty much normal day for Xiana Arianna Superbia Vongola Vizzini, her son; Abel was playing video games with his best friend Percy and her daughter Belial was picking up her best friend Amber from her house. She smiled, they were lucky that they did not yet know what was in store for them but they were the only ones who could fix this, she glanced at her glove covered hands, and sighed. Just then Belial walked in with Amber who was carrying a Yaoi paddle like a solder would carry a riffle.

"Hi Mama!" said Belial.

"Hi Mrs. X," added Amber using her usual nickname for her friends' mother.

"Amber, what's the Yaoi paddle for?" asked Xiana, blinking at her daughter's half Japanese-American (Her mother is a Japanese-American while her father is Italian) friend.

"Tormenting Abel," answered Amber as Belial giggled and the two ran off.

"Kids! After lunch Xixi, Irie, and Spanner need to see you!" yelled Xiana.

"Ok!" cried the kids.

Deciding that a quick break was in order (as her father used to say, "Working straight through paperwork is for fucking nerds.") the Varia leader turned and headed for the kitchen. She had just reached it when she heard screams coming from where the children were.

"Ow! Mama! Amber spanked me with her stupid Yaoi paddle again!" shouted Abel loudly.

"Yaoi good and girls rule!" the two girls yelled cheerfully before running off to their safe haven, better known as Belial's bed room.

"Papa! Belial's hiding in her room with Amber!" Abel hollered angrily.

"Again!" added his Mohawk wearing best friend, who apparently was trying to hold back his amusement.

Xiana shook her head as her husband Dante laughed.

Percy looked at his best friend and said, "Your little sister has weird taste in friends."

"I blame our twin Uncles, they are a bad influence," replied Abel rolling his eyes.

"Is that why they've been in and out of the loony bin?" the half Greek-boy asked as they went back to their video game.

"That among other things."

Meanwhile in Belial's room the two girls were giggling over their prank and talking about horseback riding.

"You are so lucky you and your brother have your own horses. My Mom and Dad won't let me have any pets," said Amber fiddling with her ever present amber necklace.

"Yeah but you get to do pretty much whatever you want at home," replied Belial, enviously.

"Only because my parents are rarely home," the amber eyed girl grumbled sadly.

"So? You can come over and play and sleep over when ever we want as long as it's ok with my Mama and Papa," said the pure Italian girl, trying to cheer up her friend.

Amber smiled weakly, her long, black braid falling over her shoulder.

By this time Xiana had finished making lunch for herself and Dante, eaten, and made lunch for the kids.

"Vai! Kids! Lunch!" she called.

There was a small crash and indigent feminine cry of "Voi!" as well as laughter and cheering reached her ears. Before long the dining room was filled with laughter and happy chatter as the kids ate their lunch. Xiana wouldn't admit it to many but Percus, or Percy and Amber meant as much to her as her own children. She bit the inside her lip as her hands started to hurt, the situation was getting worse.

"Mama? Are you ok?" asked Abel bringing the other kids attention to the situation.

"Are you all finished with lunch?" she responded trying to hide her pain.

"Yeah...but what's that got to do with anything?" asked the younger of her children.

"It's time to go see Xixi," answered Xiana.

The four kids nodded and stood up, following the Varia leader to her only sister's lab. Xixi was sitting down with her husband the 11th boss of the Vongola family; Tsumitsu Giotto standing behind her. Giotto's guardians including his younger sister; Kotetsu, the Yamamoto triplets; Hiko, Mizuki and Aka, as well as the boss's cousin and the daughter of Chrome and Hibari. Irie and Spanner were both at their work benches typing away. In the middle of the room was what looked kinda like a Stargate from the TV show. Most of the adults were wearing long gloves.

"Dude…what is that?" asked Percy fiddling with his dyed green hair.

*A time machine,* signed Xixi.

"Cool!" said the amazed kids.

"Someone broke into the lab a week ago and used the time machine to travel back in time. They left a note which reads, You took away my Familia now I will do the same. Signed, the lone survivor of the Avila Family," said Irie anger and fear clear in his voice even though he tried to hide it.

"What do you want us to do?" asked Abel, fixing his tie a little, a nervous habit.

"You four must go into the past and fix what he has done," answered Spanner flatly.

"Uh… what did he do?" asked the younger of the two siblings, confused.

"Killed our parents in the past, preventing us from being born, and ending the Vongola family," replied Xiana, clenching her fists in anger.

"Does this mean we get to see Grandma and Grandpa?" asked Belial excitedly before her mother nodded, "Voi! This is gonna be so cool!"

"You can meet them but you must not tell them who you really are," Aka pointed out seriously.

"I get why your sending Belial-chan and her baka brother but why me and Percy-baka?" asked Amber, scratching her nose.

"You two are the are Abel and Belial's precious friends," said Dante as he walked into the room, "Our children have said that when they fight for leadership of Varia the loser will be the second in command/one of the guardians and both of you would each be a guardian. This is a Familia and family matter and you two are Familia as well as part of our family. We have something for each of you."

Aka handed each of the kids a jewelry box, inside of them were rings. The two siblings each had one Sky ring. Abel also had a Rain while Belial had a Storm ring, Percy had Sun and Thunder rings and Amber had a Cloud and Mist rings. Then Mizuki handed out their non-box weapons. Abel, a bo staff, Belial, her knife which she gave a little spin before sheathing it. Amber was given a bunch of kunai and shuriken as well as storage pouches, and Percy a whip. Finally Hiko handed each of them a Box.

"Only use the Boxes if you have to," said Giotto before handing each of the kids a wallet of money for them to use into the past.

Irie tossed each of them a backpack full of clothes and other things including spare weapons, "There's a white box in one of those backpacks which is to be infused with flame to bring you back to this time when your task it complete."

"Look out for each other ok?" said Xiana, hugging each of the kids and kissing their foreheads which surprised Percy and Amber.

"Don't fight with each other, ok?" said Dante ruffling the kids' hair, accidentally knocking the goggles that Amber always wore on top of her head over her eyes.

"Ayie!" she cried, surprised by the sudden darkness before realizing what happened and pushing the goggles back up with a slight blush.

The four kids all nodded. The three inventors activated the time machine and with one last glance back at their Family/family, they entered the gate and vanished.

_**TBC**_


	2. Chapter 2

-1The four kids looked around Namimori town from several years before they were born. They had found a hotel and checked in before heading out to try and find their target, though Amber insisted on bringing her camera for photos.

"I know we're in the right place but is this the right time?" asked Percy looking around.

"Well, I think we're here around the time right before the Ring Conflict," said Abel.

"What makes ya say that?" asked Belial.

"That," said Abel pointing at the much younger Tsunayoshi and Kyoko which Amber quickly snapped a photo of.

"Dude…The Tenth looks like freaking jailbait!" said Percy snickering.

"Man oh man is that Lambo-san? We're taller then he is now!" said Belial.

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion and Tsuna was knocked off his feet when another boy landed into him. The four watched them talk and the others approach before they heard someone let out an all too familiar catch phrase.

"Voi! What's this? A bunch of outsiders are starting to make a crowd," yelled Squalo.

"Grandma?" said the siblings as Amber took a picture of the sliver haired swordsman.

"He needs a hair cut," said the dark haired girl.

"Any piece of trash that gets in my way will be cut," continued Squalo, not noticing the kids from the future.

"What's going on?" asked Tsuna.

"I feel a storm brewing," Reborn stated.

"Get back!" Squalo ordered swinging his sword downwards.

"Crap!" yelped Percy and Amber dragging their star stuck friends to a safer spot.

"Who is this guy?" they heard Tsuna yell.

"There's so much dust I can't see!" said Percy.

"There goes Basil and Tsuna!" said Belial.

There was an explosion as Squalo jumped down, "Voi! Let's quit playing chase."

"He came down!" yelped Tsuna.

"Tsuna-san was wimpy as a teen," said Abel sweat dropping.

"So who is that?" Squalo screeched, "Now tell me!"

The sliver haired man prepared to strike as Tsuna screamed and Basil was knocked away protecting the other boy. The four watched as Squalo fought the younger Vongola members.

"Grandma's so cool!" said Belial her eyes sparkling.

"He...looks so different..." said Abel, amazed at the difference.

"Look at Reborn-san!" said Percy pointing at the hitman dressed as a tree just as he shot Tsuna.

"Reborn!" the boy yelled as his clothes except his underwear were burned off, "I will defeat Long hair with dying will."

Amber giggled before taking another picture, "I see London, I see France, and I see the Tenth's underpants!"

"You haven't changed, Squalo Superbia," said Dino as he walked onto the scene, "Being so serious against children...Aren't you embarrassed?"

"Gah! Grandfather!" yelped Percy luckily none of the people they were trying to protect heard.

The other three turned to stare at him; he had never told them that Dino was his grandfather. But they did know that Percy had two older brothers and an older sister so it was unlikely that he would become the Twelfth boss of the Callavoni Family.

"Dino-san!" Tsuna gasped.

"We better leave, I don't think the attacks will start until the real ring battles do," said Abel.

"Why's that? Abel-baka?" asked Amber, as she fiddled with her camera after taking Dino's picture.

"Because then it would seem more like the two side just offed one another instead of a third party being involved," replied Abel.

"Oh," said the other kids, following him away, not knowing that Reborn had noticed them.

The kids spent the days before the start of the battles training in an old, overgrown park. They also would let out their box animals for some exercise. Belial had a Liger just like Xanxus's that she had trained since it was a cub named Xanxa after the man she never remembered meeting, her brother had a Newfoundlander named Appa after the flying bison in Avatar the Last airbender. Percy had a ring tailed leamur named Momo as a kinda gag to go along with Appa. As for Amber, hers was an Iriomote cat she dubbed Kohaku. Percy teased her about naming the cat the Japanese version of her name until the said cat clawed up his face.

On one such day while Abel was practicing dodging with some help from Amber and the other two were sparing they were approached.

"Ciaossu," came the voice of the tiny hitman.

The two felines sniffed the baby and he stroked their fur showing that he wasn't a threat. By this point the kids were hiding, with some help from Amber's illusions.

"I know you are there. Who are you kids?" he said.

Abel walked out of Amber's fake bushes and said, "It's a long story."

"Big brother! How could you do that after all the work Amber-chan put into that illusion?" snapped Belial as Amber undid her work.

"Sorry," he said scratching his head as Appa sat beside his master.

"So who are you kids?" Reborn repeated.

"I'm Abel, that's my little sister Belial, my best friend Percy and Belial's best friend Amber," said the eldest of the group pointing to each in turn.

"Why are you kids here?" asked Reborn.

"To save the future. Someone from our time is came here to change it. By killing the Varia and Vongola during the ring conflicts. Both me and my big mouth brother are candidates to take over the Varia from our mother," said Belial, fiddling with her hair as her best friend popped a piece of chewing gum into her mouth.

"Who is your mother?"

"Her name is Xiana, she's the future daughter of Squalo and Xanxus," said Percy before he was swatted upside the head for telling.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Amber begged, the gum a well chewed wad that showed how nervous she was.

Reborn crossed his little arms and replied, "How do I even know you kids are telling the truth?"

"You don't, but have we done anything to betray your trust?" asked Abel, coolly, knowing how to deal with people like Reborn.

The cursed hitman smirked, "Good answer."

"Wow, nice job, Aang," said Amber, teasing the boy about his love of Avatar with the main character's name before blowing a bubble.

"Just so ya know we have to be present at all the ring battles to make sure that nothing happens," explained Belial.

"Understood. Do you kids have dinner plans tonight?"

The four looked at each other for a moment before Percy replied, "Not really. We usually either order room service or go out to eat."

"I'm inviting you kids to Tsuna's house for dinner tonight," said Reborn.

The four bowed and said, "Thank you very much, Reborn-san."

_**That night**_

"Tsu-kun, Lambo-kun, I-pin-chan, Fuuta-kun, dinner's ready!" called Tsuna's mother.

The future boss of the Vongola Familia ran downstairs and into the kitchen to find his mom, Reborn, Bianchi, Fuuta, Lambo, I-pin and two people he didn't know all sitting at the table, two other strangers were placing the food on the table.

"Mom, who are those guys?" he asked pointing at the four from the future.

"Oh, they're some friends of Reborn-kun's," said Nana.

"He invited us over for dinner," said Belial.

"And Percy-kun and Amber-chan were nice enough to offer make dinner, aren't they sweet?" said Nana.

"Who's who?" asked Tsuna.

"How do you do? My name's Amber."

"I'm Percus or Percy for short."

"We swear his mom named him that cause of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians books," said Abel, "My name's Abel by the way."

"And I'm Abel's younger sister, Belial. I would of helped but I can't really cook…"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Tsunayoshi but my friends call me Tsuna," he replied bowing.

The kids from the future bowed back. They sat together ate, talked, laughed, and got along pretty well.

"You guys are nice," said Tsuna, as they ran with him towards the school, "But why are you walking with me to this?"

"We have our reasons," said Abel.

"We're from the future and hunting down a man from our time who's determined to kill the Vongola and Varia of this time so that they won't exist in our time. And there for neither will Belial or Abel," explained Percy.

"Therefore Percy and I will being hiding during the fights and keeping an eye out for him," said Amber.

"Well, maybe not during the Thunder Battle, because no one would be stupid enough to try to kill someone during that," added Belial.

"Why?" asked Tsuna as he tried to keep Lambo under control.

"You'll see," said the eldest of the group.

"Hey guys!" Tsuna called to Ryohei, Yamamoto and Gokudera.

"Hey!" replied the boxer.

"Yo!" said Yamamoto.

"Boss!" yelled the bomber waving enthusiastically but blinked at the four from the future, "Who are those four."

"There names are Abel, Percy, Belial and Amber," said Tsuna pointing to each in turn.

"Ironically that's the order in which were born," said Amber before she and Percy went off to find a good hiding spot.

"Still short a couple of guys," said Yamamoto.

"Like the one with the Mist ring, unless one of these kids are them," said Ryohei.

"Sorry none of us are Tsuna's Guardians," said Abel, ruffling his little sister's hair.

"Sure is quiet at school after hours…" said Tsuna, "Are the Judges here?"

"We are. We've been standing by, in fact," came the voice of one of the Cervello agency women.

Percy rolled his eyes as he watched the Varia jump down and the preparations for the Sun Battle finished up. He wished they would hurry up he was getting a bad cramp from sitting in a bush. Sometimes he whished that he could use Mist flames like Amber. Amber was sitting in a tree, armed with binoculars and a sports drink.

As they watched Lussuria and Ryohei fight, Percy noticed movement in a nearby bush, an assault rifle barrel! And it was aimed for Squalo! He quickly used his whip to grab it just as it went off. Luckily no one noticed the bullet that was now embedded in a nearby light pole. Then he dragged gunman out of the bushes before Amber quickly jumped on him and slashed his throat with a Kunai, then burned the with their flames to keep it secret.

"Was it him?" asked Belial over their wireless headsets.

"No, I think he might of told his family from this time period and they sent an hitman to try and kill 'em now," answered Amber disappointedly.

"Understood," replied Abel, "We should tell Reborn later."

"Right, is the fight over?" asked Percy.

"Yeah, let's regroup," said Belial.

_**TBC**_


	3. Chapter 3

The next day the four kids from the future sat in a cozy little cafe with Reborn, talking about their plans on taking out the Avila family hitmen.

"I understand Abel and Belial's reasons for being involved in this since they're lives are in danger. But what about Percy and Amber?" asked Reborn as he sipped his espresso.

"Well, Abel and Belial's cousin; Damien is out of town on a foreign exchange program. And Percy's Dino's grandson," answered Amber taking a sip of her mint iced tea, "His natural hair color is blond but he dyes it green."

"Amber!" scolded Abel.

"What? He asked!" replied the dark haired girl pouting before sticking the straw back into her mouth.

"I see…" said Reborn, "But what about Amber?"

"We don't really know how her family got dragged into the Mafia. And we can't look it up because she refuses to tell us her last name," answered Belial with a shrug.

Amber let out a muffled statement that no one understood, but they guessed she was trying to say that she wasn't allowed to them her last name.

After she pulled the straw out of her mouth she said, "My father ordered me not to tell anyone our family name. It's nothing personal."

There was a sudden clap of thunder which caused Amber to let out an animalistic yelp, her mouth opened wide enough for the others to get a good look at her teeth, noticing that her canine teeth were longer then a normal human's. But no one said anything on the matter.

"What were those animals?" asked Reborn.

"Sorry but we're not allowed to tell you that," said Abel, "Sorry Reborn-san, but there are some things we won't be able to tell you."

"I understand," said the baby sized hitman before looking at his watch, "I better go check up on Tsuna."

Percy took a bite of his strawberry crepe, "See-ya later," watching as the tiny hitman walked away into the rain.

As the rest of the kids from the future discussed which battles the assassins would show up at Amber's mind started to wander to her grandparents and how they died. She had only been four at the time, her parents had sent to their house to keep her safe after someone had tried to kidnap her out of her bed the night before.

_**FLASHBACK…**_

"_Ok sweetheart, be good for your grandma and grandpa while me and your daddy try to get the bad person who tried to take you away," said Amber's mother kissing her daughter's forehead._

"_Otay Mommy," she said hugging her mother goodbye._

"_Don't worry, we'll watch the little kitten," said her grandfather, ruffling her hair._

_Amber looked up at him, smiling. Her grandfather had a scar across his nose and graying dirty blond hair that was partially help back by several hair pins in the front._

"_Whewe's gwamma, gwampa?" she asked. _

"_In the kitchen making cookies for his favorite granddaughter," said her grandfather making her giggle._

"_Silly gwampa, I'm youw only gwand daughtew."_

"_That's right, Amber, tell your grandfather how silly he is," said her grandmother coming out of the kitchen, his slightly past ear length graying black hair tucked behind his ears, showing the bar code tattoo on his right cheek right under his glasses._

"_Hi Gwamma!" she said waving._

_After lunch and a story, as well some of her grandmother's freshly baked cookies, it was nap time._

_**END FLASHBACK…**_

The next thing she knew was her grandmother bursting into the room and hiding her in the closet. Making her promise to not come out no matter **what** she heard and not to make a sound. She suddenly heard a loud sound a lot like thunder and her grandmother screaming her grandfather's name. She stayed put like she promised. There was another loud band, she covered her ears, starting to shiver in fear. After a while the door opened and her father was there, hugging her and standing over a man who's head was twisted to a strange angle. She hugged him back before going to find her beloved grandparents…

_**FLASHBACK…**_

_Amber opened the door to the guest room of her grandparents house to find her grandmother laying on the floor with some sort of hole in his chest, and a lot of strange red stuff on the floor under and around him._

_She gently started shaking his arm, not caring if the red stuff got on her pants, "Gwamma, wake up…" _

_Her grandmother was unresponsive and cold to the touch._

"_Gwamma?" she asked._

_She then ran over to front door to find her grandfather in a similar situation. She tried to wake him but her mother picked her up and hugged her._

"_Amber, sweetie…they aren't going to wake up…" said her mother._

"_Why Mommy?" she asked._

"_They're dead…The man who tried to take you away killed them," said her mother._

_Despite her young age, Amber did know what dead meant._

"_No…" she said, tears spilling down her soft cheeks._

_**END FLASHBACK…**_

Three years after that day she learnt that her grandparents were killed by someone who had supported the Avila family and was trying to help get them back to their former glory. It was bad enough that she lost her grandparents because of those jerks but her best friend too? She wasn't going to let it happen again.

"Amber, hey, Amber, ya in there?" asked Abel waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? What?" she said, blinking her amber colored eyes.

"You spaced out, what were you thinking about?" asked Belial.

"Just remembering some things that I rather forget," she said.

After they paid for their snack they headed back to their hotel room for some R and R. Abel and Percy were watching Avatar the Last Airbender while Belial stroked Xanxa's fur as he laid on the blond's bed with her. Amber was laying on her own bed listening to her I-pod., her foot twitching to the beat.

"What's Amber doing?" Percy whispered to his best friend.

"She's training," replied Abel, "Belial told me about how Amber fights once. Apparently she listens to songs until she knows them by heart she plays them in her head when she fights and uses the rhythms to map out how she moves and fights. I don't really get it either."

"Voi! Amber fights her own way, just like you two. So why don't you drop it," snapped Belial.

"Ok, ok, we get it, don't bite our heads off," said Abel.

"Shouldn't some one get Amber, it's almost time to go," said Percy pointing at the clock.

The four kids donned their rain gear, the two youngest both wore rain coats though Amber wore goulashes while Belial didn't need them since her combat boots were waterproof. The two elders put on cheap, one use rain ponchos but all three were armed with umbrellas. They headed to the school a little early because the boys knew the girls would stop to play in puddles.

"Splash, splash, splashily splash!" the two sang as they jumped up and down.

"Cut that out! We don't have time for goofing around, we're on a mission," yelled Abel grabbing both girls and dragging them along.

"You're no fun!" whined the two.

"Boots…boots, boots…" they heard Lambo sing as the Vongola Family approached.

"Still clueless…" said Gokudera as they came into view.

"And brainless!" cried Tsuna before he spotted the kids from the future, "Hey guys."

"Hi," said Percy.

"What's up?" said Abel.

"Hello," said Belial.

"Yo," said Amber.

"Don't worry about Lambo, Tsuna, we've got his back," said Yamamoto.

"Yeah, not that he deservers it!" added Gokudera.

"Thanks guys…" said Tsuna.

"We're an Extreme team!" hollered Ryohei.

After they were told where the match was to be held they headed up to the roof.

"Why are we here again? No one would be stupid enough to try anything funny in this weather," said Amber yawning.

"Because Reborn invited us to watch and it would be rude to refuse," replied Abel.

They watched as Lambo showed how powerful he was in twenty years.

"Good thing that's Lambo from before we were born or we might be in trouble," Percy whispered to his best friend.

"Dude, I didn't meet you until I was five," Abel whispered back, "And Amber and Belial didn't meet until I was twelve and she was six."

"Uh-oh, Levi's gonna kill Lambo-san," said Amber said pointing at the field.

She was right but luckily Tsuna stopped him just in time but it cost him the Sky Ring. After they took Lambo to the hospital turned to the kids from the future.

"I'm sorry you had to see us lose like that," Tsuna said to them.

"It's ok Tsuna, we're not mad," said Abel.

"Thanks…I hope Lambo won't be mad," said Tsuna.

"I highly doubt he would be mad," said Belial.

_**TBC**_


	4. Chapter 4

The four kids from the future slowly entered Lambo's hospital room, each of them carrying a flower for the comatose boy.

"Oh, Abel-kun, Percy-kun, Belial-chan, Amber-chan, how kind of you to come visit. I'm sure Lambo-chan would be happy too," said Nana smiling at the kids, "And you brought flowers!"

"I brought a Daffodil because they can represent respect," said Abel putting his in a vase.

His sister went next, "I chose a Daisy because it's a cheery flower."

"I…" said Percy blushing slightly adding his, "Chose a lotus flower cause I think they're cool and nice looking…"

"He doesn't want to admit that Lotuses are his favorite flower. As for me I chose the Spider Lily, a tribute to my Japanese ancestors," said Amber adding hers.

"You kids are so sweet," said Nana smiling at them.

As the four left the hospital Belial thought about the first time she met Amber…

_**FLASHBACK…**_

_Six year old Belial Vizzini sighed, why did she have to attend this stupid Christmas Party. There was no one for her to play with. Sure her brother and cousin as well as her brother's best friend were there but they were all boys. Twelve year old Abel and Percy, and nine year old Damien were playing with actions figures and wouldn't her join in. What's worse she hated the dress she had to wear._

_The doors opened again and a couple walked in, the announcer said, "Announcing the 11th Vongola Family outside advisor and his family."_

'_Family? All I see is a lady with him,' thought the youngest Varia leader's child._

_As the two adults came down the stairs into the room, Belial noticed a child peaking out from behind the woman's skirt. As they got closer she noticed the other child was wearing a dress too which meant she was a girl._

_"Mommy! I don't wanna stay in the kiddy area...I wanna stay with you and daddy!" the girl whined, tugging on her mother's skirt._

_The man smiled at his daughter, knelt down, and said, "But Amber my little kitten, you'll have more fun here with the other kids. You don't wanna listen to us have boring grown up talks do you?"_

_"Then why don't you stay here too, Daddy?" asked the girl, now known as Amber, blinking her fossilized sap colored eyes at her father making her mother laugh._

_"Oh, Sandro! Tayune! You came! And this must be little Amber," Belial watched as her own mother approach the trio._

_"Hello Xiana-sama," said the woman named Tayune._

_"Good to see you," said Sandro, "Amber, don't you want to greet her?"_

_Amber shook her head and hid her face in her mother's dress._

_"Sorry, Amber's just shy. We did recently move back into this part of Italy," said Tayune._

_Xiana knelt down to Amber's level, "You know I have a daughter about your age, would you like to meet her?"_

_"Uh-huh," Amber nodded letting Xiana lead her to the kiddy area._

_"Belial, come here," she called._

_"What is it Mama?" asked the young blond._

_"I want you to meet Amber, she just moved into this part of Italy," answered the Varia leader._

_"Hello, my name's Amber," said Amber._

_"Hi, I'm Belial, wanna play with me?"_

_"Sure!"_

_**END FLASHACK**_

After that night the two girls became the best of friends.

_**THAT NIGHT...**_

Because it was time for Gokudera's battle to start, Reborn called for a time out and Basil escorted Tsuna. Abel, Belial, Percy, Amber and Reborn from the train ride back to Namimori and are on their way to the school.

"It's finally Gokudera's match," said Reborn.

"Then, what's the beef on Gokudera's opponent, Bel, Xanxus called him," asked Tsuna.

"His full name is Belphegor, who is referred to by others as 'Prince the Ripper,'" answered Reborn.

"Like 'Jack the Ripper'?" Belial asked, trying to keep her act up for the sake of Tsuna and Basil.

"He got the name because he loves to rip people apart," added Reborn.

"Yuck!" said Percy who preferred a clean kill.

"You sure it's not like Jack the Ripper, just without the lust part?" Belial asked again.

"Seems like he really has the bloodline of some royalty," Reborn continued, ignoring Belial's question,

"He's uniquely gifted eccentric who joined the Varia because he didn't know what else to do with himself."

"I have heard Master mention this," Basil said, "If one only looked at the battle skills, Belphegor is the most talented in the Varia."

"Then I guess he's a crazy prince, this Belphegor," commented Amber sounding worried.

"You're concerned about whether Gokudera will survive or not?" Reborn asked.

"Yeah..." replied Tsuna as the four from the future nodded.

"Have some faith in Gokudera and it's a nice nick name for Belphagor," commented Reborn.

"Hey. When you're on a team, if you don't trust your friends, you'll all die," snapped Percy.

"Yo," greeted Yamamoto as Tsuna and Basil walked onto school grounds.

"Yamamoto, Ryohei," Tsuna replied, seeing the two at the gates. "But where's Gokudera? Last minute show?"

"Well, I thought he would be coming with you guys," answered Yamamoto as Reborn hopped onto his shoulder.

"He's not here yet," added Ryohei.

"That's doesn't sound like him," said Percy.

"What's going on, Reborn?" asked Tsuna.

"Maybe he was stopped by Shamal," Reborn answered, "It's impossible for Shamal to let his disciple enter a battle without any chance of winning. Probably his new move isn't complete yet."

"Then it's a last minute show-up," concluded Amber, "Let's go."

Abel led the way to where the school was lit up. They saw that the Varia members and the Cervello were

already there.

"Ehh…? Today's match is indoors?" said Tsuna.

"But Gokudera-dono is…" Basil started.

"What is that Octopus Head doing…?" Ryohei wondered.

"He will come for sure, just like what Amber said, a last minute show-up," Yamamoto reassured everyone.

"So what if he runs away?" Belphegor wondered. "He'll be killed away when they all lose the Rings battle."

"When that clock points to 11 o' clock, Gokudera Hayato will be disqualified," answered the Cervello, gesturing towards the clock inside a classroom, "and Belphegor will win by default."

Now almost 10 seconds have passed and Hayato still hasn't shown up. The suspense of waiting for Hayato was suffocating his team as well as the spectators from another time. 9 seconds. 8 seconds. 7 seconds. 6 seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2, Boom! The clock was blasted.

"Sorry for the long wait, Tenth!" exclaimed Gokudera, coming onto the floor behind his team. "Gokudera

Hayato has arrived!" Gokudera has bandages wrapped around his chest, torso and hands. He wore a belt that held his bombs.

And his Vongola Half ring was hung around his neck by a chain, worn like a necklace.

"Gokudera," Tsuna replied.

"Octopus Head!" Ryohei shouted.

"He looks half dead..." said Percy

"Because you arrived before the arranged time," the Cervello said, "we acknowledge your qualification to

participate in this match."

"Good!" commented Ryohei.

"You scared us to death," Yamamoto told Gokudera. "You look well—Did you oversleep?"

"That's impossible!" Gokudera replied. Turning to Tsuna, "Sorry I'm late, Tenth! It took some time to prepare."

Tsuna just nodded while Amber ruffled his hair with both of her hands, "You really scared us."

"I thought you got scared and ran away," said Squalo.

"I think he should have ran, though," argued Marmon. "His opponent is Bel, after all."

"Then, we will now explain the battle field," announced the Cervello. "But before that, please allow me to

report that due to injury, we had no choice but to make a substitution for one of us."

"Nice to meet you," said the other Cervello girl.

"She looks exactly like the one who was hurt," commented Ryohei.

"No, she doesn't; she just dressed like the other one," Belial replied.

"You can tell the difference between this one and the other one, Belial?" asked Yamamoto.

"I'm honored that you can tell the difference between me and the absent judge, young lady," said the Substitute Cervello.

"There are a lot of people who look similar in the Cervello Organization, but there are differences that you can tell," Abel explained.

"Really? I can't tell," Basil replied.

"I can," said Percy.

"It's like the Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys in Pokemon," Amber added.

"Your eyes are better than mine," Reborn said.

"The battle field for tonight," the Cervello went on, "is the entire third floor of the school building. Of course that includes the Eastern Building that is connected with this building as well. Not only the hallway, but all the classrooms on this floor included."

'Good…' Gokudera thought, 'I like a location that has a lot of obstacles.'

"However," the Cervello added. Then rattling noises echoed on the floor. The rattling noise continued until the classroom desks crashed the door and windows, out into the courtyard.

"Just be glad Hibari isn't here to witness this," Percy commented.

"In various places on the field," the Cervello continued, the substitute pushing something on a cart to show everyone what caused the desks to be blown off the floor, "we have installed this hurricane turbine."

"Hurricane turbine?" Gokudera repeated.

"The hurricane turbine has four openings used for producing winds," the Cervello explained. "It's a storm device that can blow a super strong wind randomly from the four openings."

"So it truly is a field of storms," commented Basil.

"If the wind hits you directly, it'd be possible to be blown outside…!" exclaimed Ryohei.

"That's overdoing it…" Yamamoto added.

"Hibari would kill everybody on site for letting this happen to the school," Tsuna commented.

The Cervello went on, "And this battle has a time limit. Unless either of you complete the Ring of Storm and possess it within 15 minutes after the start of the match. The time bomb installed in the hurricane turbines will explode one by one and blow up the entire floor."

"And if the match's result cannot be determined?" Tsuna asked.

"They will probably die," answered the Cervello. "That means neither of them qualified for the position of Guardian of the Storm. I'm sorry, but that's one of the rules for the Storm battle."

The four time travelers sweatdropped.

"Ok...Hibari-san will kill everyone on site and every member in the Cervello," commented Abel.

"In the worst case, they wouldn't even care if the Ring of Storm were destroyed or not," added Reborn,

"The only person that thinks the Rings of the Guardians don't matter…is probably him."

"Who? Xanxus?" asked Tsuna.

"Looks like he became serious," replied Reborn.

"Hiiiiiieeeeee!" cried Tsuna

"A death match…" Gokudera finally said. "Doesn't that sound interesting?"

"Hrm? What was that sound of windows shattering just now?" asked a new voice," Is anyone hurt?" Shamal, the new voice, fondled the two Carville's breasts.

The Cervello slammed their elbows into Shamal's face, making him let go of them and crashing into the

wall, "Ah, they're good. This elasticity is a sign of good health."

"Oh, Doctor Shamal," greeted Tsuna.

"Did that brat say 'Shamal'?" Squalo asked.

"Trident Shamal…"said Marmon. "Rumor is that he was to be recruited by the Varia two generations ago—Varia had meant to gain him, but he refused…"

"Shamal's that old?" asked Abel.

"What the hell are you doing here!" Gokudera demanded.

"And how old are you if the Varia tried to recruit you two generations ago?" Belial asked, overhearing what Marmon had said about Shamal.

"Well…you see, I heard the sounds of windows shattering," answered Shamal, getting up on his feet, "and thought someone might be hurt, so I came. I thought I'd see your match in jest, too."

"Damn," Gokudera replied.

"And so, I'm on this side," Shamal told the Varia, "Don't let me hold up the festivities!"

"Oh? Shamal is on their side," said Marmon.

"Dino, Colonello, plus Shamal…" Squalo listed off the people on the Vongola side. "Why are such skilled people gathered over there…What the hell is going on? Is it because of that Arcobaleno again…?" By that Arcobaleno, he meant Reborn.

"Nevertheless, it looks like we can a little fun," Belphagor finally said after a while, "with today's match opponent."

"Good. Then let's start the usual before the match!" Ryohei exclaimed, getting Gokudera.

"What! Hey, wait!" Gokudera protested as Ryohei grabbed him. "I don't want to! Such embarrassing stuff! I don't need to do that before my match!"

"Gokudera, don't say that," Tsuna told Gokudera. "Let's do this."

"What!" Gokudera asked.

Tsuna replied, "Well, I don't want to lose anyone, so it's better if everyone acted as a group. That's why this huddle shows our teamwork, I think."

"Tenth, you were this considerate for the Family…" Gokudera said. "Why didn't I understand it at all! Let's do it then! Please let me!"

"That's good. Let's do it," Tsuna replied as Gokudera bowed to him.

"Let this join, too," Reborn added, throwing Tsuna something.

Tsuna caught it. "That is the cloth that fell from that dumb cow's tail," Reborn explained, "when he was battling yesterday…"

"Right, Lambo," Tsuna replied.

"Doesn't it remind you of the days when that dumb cow was still around?" he asked.

"Don't jinx him by talking as if he's already dead!" Tsuna demanded.

"But I think it's great," commented Yamamoto. "Let Lambo join the circle too."

"Even though he's a dumb cow, he's still better than nothing," Gokudera put in.

"Even though he's not here, he's with us in spirit," added Ryohei.

"That's right," Tsuna replied.

The four boys formed a circle. Reborn got off Yamamoto's shoulder for this. "Gokudera, Fight! OOOH!" they shouted.

"Oh, oh. These young ones are so embarrassing," commented Shamal, though he meant it as a compliment because they know the definition of a team, as the other four tried to hide their amusement.

"Then the two of you, please come to the middle," the Cervello called the Storm Guardians.

"I will never bring disgrace to the title of Tenth's right hand man!" Gokudera told Tsuna.

Tsuna replied, "Don't force yourself."

Tsuna and the others went off to the bleachers inside the building where the Cervello told them to go. The Varia did the same as their Bel went to the Cervello.

"By the way," the Cervello said, "since this battle area is too enormous, we've installed video cameras in every classroom. You can observe the match at the bleachers beside the school building. At the same time, in order to prevent interference to the match and to keep spectators safe, an infrared ray sensor device is set up between the bleachers and the battle area."

Tsuna saw that the bleachers were just a room with three TVs attached to the ceiling so everyone can see from three different views and the sensors were on.

"Cool!" said Amber pulling out a bag of popcorn while Belial held up a soda cup.

"This isn't a show!" cried Tsuna.

"They were just trying to lighten the mood," Percy told the Tenth putting a hand on the shorter male's shoulder.

"We've confirmed that they both have their halves of the Half Vongola Rings," announced the Cervello, each inspecting the Half Rings.

"Ushishishi, I heard you use bombs?" Belphagor asked. "Well, I guess it's obvious just by looking at you…Don't be so nervous; take a load off your shoulders. Ushishi." Belphagor placed his hand on Hayato's shoulder.

'I definitely won't lose!' Hayato thought. 'I don't care if you're a genius or not…!' Hayato thought back to Tsuna's words after the Thunder fight and before this:

_I wanted to say this after yesterday's battle. 'No matter how important they are said to be, the Vongola Rings, the position for the next boss, I will not battle for such things. However, I don't want my friends to be hurt. Well, I really don't want to lose anyone, so it's better if everyone acted as a group. That's why I feel that this act helps prove our teamwork.'_

Hayato thought, _'_I will win and prove that no one else is more worthy of becoming the boss of Vongola.'

Bel walked away from him.

"Then for the Ring of Storm, Belphagor VS. Gokudera Hayato. Begin the match!" announced the Cervello.

Hayato threw a couple bombs at Belphagor.

"The fuse is so short," Belphagor commented. The bombs blasted, creating a smoke screen between the two.

Hayato jumped back from the smoke. 'I'll observe the situation first. What will he do?' Hayato saw something glitter in the smoke and saw that surrounding him in a circle were knives, floating in midair, aiming to strike him. Hayato quickly dodged all of them.

"I advise you, it's better not to play any tricks," said Belphagor. The smoke screen was fading. "Do you know who your opponent is?"

"They've said it well: 'Varia Quality'," commented Shamal in the spectator room, "There is no time for you to relax."

From the safety of the stands room the group watched the fight.

"Crap…" said Percy looking at his watch, "They're almost out of time."

As he spoke the first of the devices exploded.

"Gokudera-kun!" cried the Vongola family members minus Ryohei.

"Octopus head!" Ryohei cried

"Gokudera-dono!" was what came out of Basil's mouth.

"Gokudera-san!" whined the four from another time.

In the end Gokudera chose life over victory.

"I wanted to see the fireworks again…" he said when he joined the rest of the group.

_**TBC**_


	5. Chapter 5

"Why are we in the shopping district?" asked Percy as he walked around said area with his companions.

"There's a certain brand of gum that you can only get in certain areas and this is one of them. My grandfather would order a case of it for whenever I came to visit. I haven't had that brand that much since he died so I want to treat myself and Abel wants watermelon," answered Amber as she looked around for the candy store her grandfather used to tell her about when she was small.

"Gum and watermelon…You dragged Belial and me all the way out here for gum and watermelon?" groaned Percy.

"Hey, you know as well as I do how my brother is about his watermelon," said the younger of the two siblings.

"Ah-ha! There it is!" crowed Amber as she ran to a rather new looking shop.

"Ok…what about that?" asked Abel pointing at the black haired girl.

The youngest member of the group's best friend shrugged, "My guess is she's trying to relive something from her childhood."

A while later Amber came out of the shop with a case of the gum to take back to future with her and some candy for her friends.

"Did you guys see how Yamamoto-san side-stepped Hibari-san like that last night?" she asked changing the subject.

_**THAT NIGHT...**_

Yamamoto revealed his bamboo sword to Squalo.

"Shape-changing katana, eh?" Squalo said.

"Gotta admit it's pretty cool," said Percy.

"In other words, you're not going to try to transcend style, huh?" Abel asked Yamamoto.

"If Dad says it's invincible, then why wouldn't be?" Yamamoto replied.

"You're right," said Belial.

"Invincible? Idiots call themselves invincible!" Squalo shouted, " And I've already buried countless hundreds of them!"

"I feel like I'm standing in the batter's box with the last chance to score," Yamamoto told Tsuna, "I', so worked up I'm getting chills."

"Yamamoto-dono….why is he saying at a time like this?" Basil asked.

"He's a base ball nut," said Percy.

Two shadows went over their heads and landed near Squalo. "This evening's battlefield will be the

school's Building B," said the Cervello, "Please start making your way towards Building B."

"So it's inside again," Tsuna said, "I hope Hibari-san won't be as angry as yesterday."

"Vooi! Where is that!" Squalo demanded.

"This way," the Cervello replied.

"Just wait!" Squalo threw over his shoulder to Yamamoto before he followed the Cervello.

"Sorry for being late!" Ryohei shouted, "I brought this guy with me."

Ryohei brought a standing mummy with fresh bandages.

"Heii!" screamed Tsuna

"A mummy?" Abel asked as Amber snapped a picture of the mummy giggling along with Belial.

The mummy moved around to get its hand untangled from its wrappings and reached for its head. It unraveled some bandages on its face.

"That Romario-ossan said something like, 'This is a man's treatment'," Gokudera said, managing to get some bandages off his face, "Then he clumsily wrapped me up in bandages like this!"

"Oh, sorry, Gokudera, for mistaking you for a mummy," Abel replied, "Have your wounds turned into minor injuries?"

"I'm sorry for screaming…" said Tsuna.

"Apparently, he's supposed to rest quietly," Ryohei confessed, "But he wanted to come no matter what, so I lent him a hand."

"I never asked you to!" Gokudera argued, "Aren't you the one who dragged me here! I wasn't going to go down without even knowing how the match went."

"You're such a worrywart," Yamamoto commented.

"You're the one who's too carefree!" Gokudera replied. "Well, let's go…"

He fell on his face because his legs were tied up in bandages.

"You're the one who married him, Gokudera-san," muttered Belial making Amber giggle.

"Are you all right, Gokudera-dono?" Basil asked.

"He's an idiot after all," Percy and Reborn said synchronized.

They got Gokudera out of his bandages and Percy saved the parts that were clean enough to be used again. They went over to Building B and were surprised at what the building turned into.

"The windows have been sealed?" Tsuna exclaimed, "The entrance too!"

He saw that the usual entrance and all of the windows were sealed with steel and thick glass.

"Looks like we go in from here," Reborn said, gesturing to a door that wasn't sealed.

"What's that sound?" Yamamoto wondered, hearing some noise from inside.

He opened the door and the group saw that it was pouring water from the pipelines and large holes between the floors.

"What is this?" Tsuna exclaimed, "Does Hibari know about this?"

"It doesn't look like the original school building at all," Gokudera commented calmly.

"This is the battlefield for the battle of Rain: Aquarion," explained a Cervello.

"Gotta say it looks pretty good," said Abel.

The group saw that the Cervello were standing on boulders that seemed to have been crushed from falling apart from the building floors to keep from getting wet, "Its special features consist of the three-dimensional structure and the large amount of water cascading through an enclosed space. The water flowing from the tank on the top floor will deepen from the 1st floor upward. So long as the battle continues, the water level will also continue to rise."

"Just like a sinking ship…" Ryohei commented.

"Little by little, finding footing becomes harder as well," Basil added.

The Cervello went on, "Furthermore, the collecting water has been specially modified to match the

consistency of seawater. When the water level reaches a predetermined height, a ferocious sea beast will be released into the arena."

"Ferocious beast? A shark?" Tsuna asked.

"Isn't that interesting?" Squalo's voice rang out.

The group found him and his members on the upper floor.

"Ironic," said Abel.

'It sure suits Grandmother,' thought Belial.

"Ushishishi, the amazing prince woke up in the morning with the ring in hand," bragged Belphagor, holding the Storm ring.

"Shit! That knife bastard!" Gokudera cursed.

"And here I thought, it's Rapunzal Head's moment, not Lunatic Prince's moment," Amber added before she was elbowed by her best friend, "Sorry..."

The name calling got on their nerves.

"What did you just call the prince, you little twerp?" Bel asked, prepared to get some of his knives out but was stopped by his boss.

"Oh, hello, Xanxus," Reborn greeted the man who was standing in the middle of his subordinates.

"The loser of this one won't leave alive," Xanxus said "That'll either be you or him," Xanxus gestured 'him' as Squalo.

"Xanxus is serious," Reborn said.

"You sure? Because it seems to me that he cared enough to show up when he didn't even show up to the previous matches," Amber replied.

"Don't scare them before the match has even started, Reborn," Dino said, coming into the field with Romario behind him.

"Hey, Dino," Tsuna greeted.

"Yamamoto, I hope you don't mind me watching your match," Dino asked Yamamoto.

"Got it," the swordsman replied.

"That Hibari suddenly decided to listen to my explanation of the Scramble Battle for the Rings yesterday," Dino told Tsuna.

"I'm not surprised," Tsuna replied, "I thought he heard about it after we all left the school because I

thought he came back because he missed the school."

"He'll probably come watch, though," Dino added.

"My guess is that he's on the water tank on another building," said Abel.

"Now that we're at 1 win and two losses, we are nearly out of options," Reborn told the group. "In more ways than one, this is a battle worth watching."

"All right! Since that's how it is," Ryohei shouted, "Let's have Hibari join the huddle! Where is he!"

"That's impossible…" Gokudera replied.

"Haha, yeah," Yamamoto agreed.

"He'd rather kill us and then stomp us down to Hell so he could take on the rest of the Varia by himself," Tsuna told Ryohei.

"I think so too…." Dino agreed with Tsuna.

"I won't allow exceptions!" Ryohei argued.

"Okay, okay…I don't mean to replace him, but would it be all right if we included Basil instead?" Tsuna asked.

"Eh? This one? Is that okay?" Basil asked.

"I'm fine with it if Tenth says so," Gokudera said.

"We're all in this together, aren't we?" Yamamoto added.

"Lambo too, of course…" Tsuna held the cloth tail that belonged to Lambo.

"All right! Yamamoto Fight! Oh-!" they shouted after they got into their huddle.

"Then, would the Guardians of Rain please gather in the center," the Cervello asked. "In addition due to the submersion, the audience area will be outside the school building. The match will be projected onto a giant screen set in the wall. All persons other than the Rain Guardians should vacate the premises."

The giant screen they mentioned lit up, showing the battlefield.

"Well, go get 'em, Yamamoto!" Ryohei cheered.

"Don't you dare lose," Gokudera warned.

"Okay!" Yamamoto replied.

"Good luck and do your best," Tsuna said to him.

"Yeah! See you after," Yamamoto said with a smile before going to the center.

"I mean it. Good luck, Yamamoto," Tsuna said after his shadow.

"There will be no time limit," the Cervello announced.

At this point the two siblings split to keep an eye out for assassins.

"Vooi! Looks like you still haven't learned your lesson!" Squalo exclaimed. "I'll make you regret not running away a week ago!"

"Haha! You won't know if you don't give it a try," Yamamoto replied.

"Now, for the Ring of Rain: Superbi Squalo VS. Yamamoto Takeshi. Begin the battle!" the Cervello announced.

"Fly!" Squalo charged at Yamamoto.

Yamamoto saw the move and ducked as Squalo swung his sword. He also shot gunpowder at Yamamoto, which he dodged.

"That's right, the weapon's from the katana's blade," Tsuna said, watching the screen.

"There's stored gunpowder!" Gokudera explained.

Because of the gunpowder, they caused a huge splash between the two opponents, taking their eyes off each other.

"Hah, avoided it, did you?" mocked Squalo.

"Yikes. The daily image training I did after losing to you paid off," Yamamoto replied.

"Image training? That trash. Was this…in the images?" Squalo was charging at Yamamoto, but he disappeared. If he was supposed to be fast, he would've been seen because of the water.

"He disappeared?" Yamamoto said.

On the screen, it showed that Squalo was behind him. Yamamoto caught his presence and blocked the attack with his sword.

"If you thought that was my real strength, big mistake!" Squalo exclaimed as he fried the gunpowder, "Die!"

"At such close quarters!" Dino cried.

The gunpowder caused an even larger splash. But the shape of the smoke had created a spiral shape.

"What's with the shape of the smoke?" Percy asked.

"Yamamoto has drawn his sword," Reborn explained from Dino's shoulders, "This is the Shigure Souen Style's 7th defensive form: Spraying Rain."

The water disappeared to reveal that the bamboo sword exposed its blade.

"What was that?" Squalo asked.

"Good. He dodged Rapunzal Head's blast," Amber said.

"That's Yamamoto's Shigure Souen Style," Dino commented, "It's still a little rough around the edges, but to have come this far in such a short amount of time…."

"Indeed, in this one week," Reborn added, "other than during the other Guardians' matches, Yamamoto has been practicing almost nonstop everyday. However, no matter how much he hones his stamina and reflexes with baseball practice, there is a vast difference between learning the forms and using them during actual combat. Let alone during this kind of life or death struggle, when an ordinary person can fight fearlessly when suddenly plunged into the midst of battle, other than the fact that they are a remarkable idiot, it also means they are nothing les than a natural-born assassin."

"So all this time from when he was a kid," Tsuna asked, "he was an assassin? But with his nature, I doubt it."

"Well, either way, aren't I, as the one who noticed Yamamoto, the best?" Reborn replied.

"Don't just brag about yourself when it's Yamamoto's spotlight!" Percy scolded.

"However, it's dangerous if he continues to rely on the Shigure Souen Style," Dino said.

"You're still on about that? Please! Can't you put a little more faith in Yamamoto and his strength?" Amber replied.

"Voooi! Don't freeze up on me!" Squalo shouted, "Weakling!"

Squalo shot more gunpowder, making two waves around Yamamoto.

'Crap! He's got me cornered,_'_ Yamamoto thought.

"Vanish!" Squalo exclaimed.

"Umm….at a time like this, I should do…this," Yamamoto swung his sword into the water and brought a wave over him.

He did the same again, bringing two waves of water over him, making Squalo to lose sight of him. Squalo had to cut through the waves of water, missing his true target.

"What the hell?" Gokudera asked.

"Shigure Souen Style's 2nd defensive form: Surging Rain," Reborn explained.

"Amazing…." Tsuna commented.

"Obscuring his form with a wall of water and at the same time defending with the contraction of his body," Basil observed, "That way, he wasn't hit!"

"See, Dino, have a little faith in Yamamoto," Amber told him.

"It would be nice if I really could do that…" Dino replied.

"Huh?" Tsuna said.

"Squalo…." Dino said. "Looks like he's very pleased about something…." On the screen, Squalo has a smirk on his face.

"Vooi brat!" Squalo shouted. "Why didn't you attack after defending! You're really a complete idiot! Just now, you gave up your very last chance at wounding me!"

"Ushishishi," Belphagor laughed.

"It looks like Squalo is pretty confident," Mammon said.

"He's just saying that because he knows he's gonna lose!" Ryohei argued, "That's definitely just a bluff!"

"Haha, when you say last, you sure do talk big, don't you?" Yamamoto replied, "Let me first make this clear. This isn't all there is to the Shigure Souen Style."

Reborn added, "That's right. The Shigure Souen Style's four defensive formations and four offensive formations make up eight forms that allow response in accordance with the circumstances."

"Oh, Yamamoto is beginning to charge forward," Tsuna said, seeing that on the screen, Yamamoto was charging at Squalo.

Yamamoto gripped his sword and clenched his teeth. Squalo moved to block Yamamoto's attack.

However, what passed him face wasn't the sword, but his empty hand. Then Yamamoto recaptures his dropped sword to turn it over to the blunt side when he sliced Squalo's abdomen.

Reborn explained, "Shigure Souen Style's 5th offensive form: Early Summer Rain."

On the screen, Squalo's abdomen was sliced and he fell a few feet away from Yamamoto.

Basil asked, "Just now, that was…"

"Early Summer Rain," Reborn answered. "A slicing attack where the katana is switched between hands during the swing, and both the trajectory and the timing are shifted freely."

"We…well, not bad," Gokudera forced himself to comment.

"It is awesome, but Yamamoto went easy on him," Tsuna added.

"What a naïve bunch," Belphagor said.

"Looks like they don't at all understand the implications of being candidate for boss of the Varia," Mammon said.

"Voooi!" Squalo exclaimed, coming out of the water. "That didn't do anything at all!"

"Squalo wasn't wounded at all…!" Dino said.

"Didn't I say? Yamamoto went easy on him," Tsuna repeated.

"Not only that, he worked out the trajectory of Yamamoto's katana in an instant, and moved back…" Dino explained.

"The only explanation is that he completely read the move beforehand," Reborn added.

"But as far as this one could see, there was nothing unusual in the motion," Basil argued, "when Yamamoto-dono switched hands."

"Vooi! This style of yours, the one you call invincible—is that all there is to it?" Squalo demanded with a smirk on his face. "Other than that, there's something else I'm not getting and that's that, during that swing just now, why did you use the back of your sword instead of the blade?"

"Well, that-I did it to win against you," Yamamoto answered, "Not to kill you."

"That baseball idiot actually said that kind of optimistic thing…" Gokudera complained.

"Actually, he's kinda like me, even though I'm more destructive," Amber argued, making Percy raise an eyebrow, "But after seeing him, I'm not sure whether he's the kind of person who dislikes seeing people hurt or he's just easygoing."

"Nonsense," Belphagor said.

"What a joke," Mammon added.

"Vooi! Aren't you underestimating me too much!" Squalo demanded, "Looks like you still don't understand what kind of situation you're in! I'll make it so you can never open that conceited mouth of yours again!"

Squalo charged at Yamamoto. Yamamoto used the 2nd defensive form: Surging Rain. But Squalo also made a wall of water.

Dino started, "This way, the field of vision on both sides is…!"

"The first one to find their opponent wins," Reborn finished.

When Squalo raised his wall of water, Yamamoto froze in surprise. That gave enough time for Squalo to find him and slashed his left shoulder.

"How's that! Hurts, doesn't it! Let me tell you one last piece of bad news that'll make you despair," Squalo said, "I've already completely seen through all your techniques. This Shigure Souen Style of yours is one I already defeated long ago!"

It was after that Yamamoto realized that he had been slashed and fell back.

"That sucks," Tsuna complained.

"The Shigure Souen Style was defeated long ago?" repeated Percy.

"To defeat the man called Emperor of the Sword, and his mystery of the sword," Squalo explained, "I searched for strong opponents. Then, I heard of a vanishing style in the East, a sword of murder that was said to be completely flawless. That was the Shigure Souen Style. I found them. The successor to the style and his two apprentices! They used the same eight forms as you. But it was just some imitation of ancient sword technique! I experienced each and every form! It didn't do them any good! I sliced them to ribbons!"

"How can that be?" Tsuna asked.

"I'm afraid those words are all true," Reborn argued, "Squalo's ability to see through techniques is even faster than his ability to deflect them."

"What a terrible man…" Basil said, "Even Yamamoto-dono's Shigure Souen Style was…"

'Squalo…' Dino thought, 'His defeat of the Emperor wasn't just for show…'

"But that means Squalo has to figure out what kind of techniques Yamamoto is going to leash out on him," Tsuna said.

"I've never heard of such a thing…" Yamamoto protested, pressing on his shoulder wound and struggling to stand up, "The Shigure Souen Style I've heard about is completely flawless and invincible."

"Even now, Yamamoto-dono…" Basil said.

"That's no good!" Dino warned.

"All right, Yamamoto! Way to trust your dad!" Tsuna cheered.

"Go Yamamoto!" added Percy

"Voooi! Are you an idiot!" Squalo demanded.

"You won't know if you don't give it a try," Yamamoto replied.

"I'm done holding back," Squalo warned.

"Squalo is baring his fangs," Mammon said.

The two charged at each other.

"Let's go," Yamamoto said.

Squalo swung his sword and made the gunpowder to create a wave at Yamamoto, blocking his sight. Then he swung again, cracking the column next to him and shards attacked Yamamoto; one of them got into his eye.

"Shoot! His eye!" Tsuna cried.

"The shard from the column!" Basil exclaimed.

Because of his eye hurting him, Yamamoto fell into the rising water.

"Voooi! Don't stop moving!" Squalo demanded, charging at him.

Yamamoto got out of the water and swung at Squalo, but the sword wasn't in the hand he swung. He was using Early Summer Rain; he was still using the blunt side. Squalo, however, countered the move with his move and somehow made Yamamoto's arm paralyzed. On the screen, when their swords made contact, Yamamoto froze while Squalo was making a new attack.

"Yamamoto!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"Yamamoto-dono! Why isn't he moving!" Basil said

"Die!" Squalo shouted.

Yamamoto reacted by punching his paralyzed arm. But that barely gave him enough time to block Squalo's sword. He was flown back a few feet into the water.

"Vooi!" Squalo charged at him.

Yamamoto got out of the water and held his sword with his other hand. Seeing that it went back into a bamboo sword, he dodged Squalo.

"What Squalo just unleashed was Attacco di Squalo," Mammon explained, "A concussion-type sword attack that, by means of a violent shock to the entire body, creates a strong shockwave that numbs the opponent's nerves. The katana-wielding kid who hit his own arm to forcibly disperse the effects isn't bad. But Attacco di Squalo's impact is stronger even then that of having your bare hand hit by a bat. He won't be able to use that hand for a while."

"So how is it! You're looking a little under the weather!" Squalo exclaimed.

Yamamoto ran up a fallen boulder and got onto the second floor.

"Vooi! You wanna run away?" Squalo demanded.

Yamamoto felt the floor under him crumbling and Squalo blindly aimed multiple stabs at Yamamoto, most got their target.

"Disintegrate," Squalo said.

The stabs got Yamamoto to fall backwards into the first floor. Squalo landed on the other side of the hole in the second floor and watched Yamamoto fall.

"Baseball idiot!" Gokudera exclaimed.

"Yamamoto!" Tsuna, Amber and Percy added.

"What…what an attack…" Basil said. "F…forget stabbing…it's more like he tore into the air itself!"

"Zanna di Squalo…" Levi said the attack of the move Squalo made on Yamamoto.

"So that is…." said the person on the gym, "Squalo…what a fearsome man….."

"Boss…" Levi turned to Xanxus.

"Ha. The bastard doesn't change a hair," Xanxus commented, "No matter how many years have passed."

"That's Squalo, after all," Marmon said, "In the end, he fulfilled his role as the Guardian of Rain perfectly. Squaring the accounts of battle; washing away the blood spilled: the Requiem Rain."

"Yamamoto…come on. Get out of the water," Tsuna said.

"Well then, brat!" Squalo shouted, "I'm going to shred your heart!"

Yamamoto moved himself out of the water, resting on a boulder. "Isn't it just one-sided like this…If Tsuna told Dad about this, he'd probably be mad…"

"Vooi! You still wanna go?" Squalo asked, "With that Shigure Souen Style you're so proud of, how about it! Since you're the successor, how about I show all eight forms? In the end, when the 8th form, Autumn Rain is released, you can just tragically disintegrate!"

That surprised Yamamoto. '8th form, Autumn Rain? What the heck is that…I've never heard of it…' Then Yamamoto figured it out. "So that's what you meant, Dad."

"You brats!" Squalo turned to the camera, "This katana brat's ugliest last moments, you'd better burn them into your mind!"

Squalo noticed some movement on the first floor, Yamamoto was standing up.

"Vooi! Lie back down! I'll break you that way!" Squalo exclaimed.

"I can't do that," Yamamoto replied, "Because the Shigure Souen Style is completely flawless and invincible."

"How stubborn," Belphagor commented.

"Those words are nothing more than pure bluff," Marmon said, "With his body in that state, there's absolutely nothing he can do."

"That guy…" Gokudera said.

"Go! Yamamoto!" Amber cheered.

"Amber, why are you so bent on cheering Yamamoto on?" Tsuna asked, "Just like they said, with his body in that state, he won't be able to do anything."

"And that's why I'm cheering him on," Amber answered, "Although he's an idiot, but like Reborn said, he's a natural born hitman and will win because like his dad said, Shigure Souen is perfect and flawless. His dad would never lie to him. And if he loses, his dad and I would be angry at him and he knows that."

"You trash! I'll start out by cutting out that insolent tongue of yours!" Squalo shouted, shooting three rows of gunpowder at Yamamoto, creating waves around him.

Yamamoto ran forward, remembering while he was training, his dad had talked to him about the 8th from.

Yamamoto ran up a boulder and got behind Squalo on the second floor, "Let's go."

"What did you come here for?" Squalo asked.

"Shigure Souen Style…" Yamamoto placed his hand over the bamboo sword.

"That guy is still…" Gokudera said.

"It's no good!" Dino warned.

"Go! Yamamoto!" Amber cheered again.

"Vooi! Looks like you don't have any brain cells!" Squalo said.

Yamamoto ignored him and charged at him.

"I know that stance!" Squalo charged at him, "Well, then, do it! Autumn Rain!"

Yamamoto gripped the bamboo sword that exposed its blade.

'It's over!' Squalo thought, preparing to dodge the Autumn Rain.

'Shigure Souen Style, 8th offensive form,' Yamamoto thought. 'Pouring Rain.'

The two clashed, with Squalo being swung over Yamamoto, coughing up blood. Squalo was flown face front into the water a few feet away behind Yamamoto.

"He hit him…" Basil said.

"What just happened!" Levi asked.

"All right! Awesome, Yamamoto!" Percy cheered.

"Hahaha, I thought so," Yamamoto laughed.

Squalo got out of the water.

"You! Did you use a style other than the Shigure Souen Style!" he demanded.

"No. That just now was also the Shigure Souen Style," Yamamoto replied. "The 8th form, Pouring Rain, was created by my dad."

"I see, therefore, eight generations, eight forms," Reborn said, "For the Shigure Souen Style, to undergo succession is to undergo change."

"Change?" Tsuna asked.

"It's likely that Yamamoto's father and the successor that Squalo defeated learned the first seven forms from the same master," Reborn explained. "Afterwards, they each created their own eighth form."

"But they used the same style name…?" Basil argued.

"The successors to the Shigure Souen Style carry on the forms handed down by their predecessors," Reborn added, "They then create new forms to pass on to their own apprentices."

"But…but this way, if each instance of succession braches off like that, wouldn't there be countless new forms created?" Basil asked.

"It's exactly the opposite," Reborn argued, "The fact that the Style hasn't died out by now is something of a miracle. It's an all-or nothing, severe type of form succession. Change consists not only of progression but also of regression. To become the strongest of them, you become the target of those who are strong. It's just like pursuing yourself. Therefore, the Shigure Souen Style is a style that, when successors with the requisite spirit and talent can no longer be found, is fated disappear from this world. It is a sword of ruin."

"Vooi! Brat…" Squalo said. "I really didn't think you'd get this far. So I don't get that pathetic strike with the back of your blade just now. You're making a mockery of a genuine match. Or do you have some other form that I haven't seen before?"

"Hahaha. It's a pity, but the first through seventh forms are the same ones you know," Yamamoto replied.

"Idiot, you're too honest…" Dino said.

"But that's what makes him our Yamamoto," Tsuna argued.

"Looks like you're dead for sure after all!" Squalo said, "Having tasted that Pouring Rain once, I've already seen through it!"

"You're really something else," Yamamoto said. "I guess there's nothing for it. Then I'll show it to you, Shigure Souen Style, 9th form," Yamamoto raised the bamboo sword like a baseball bat.

"9th?" Tsuna asked.

"That is to say…" Basil said.

"That Yamamoto intends to unleash a new form of his own," Reborn explained.

"I see, a style that transcends style provided this succeeds," Dino said, "The Shigure Souen Style is indeed completely flawless and utterly invincible!" _'_But can he do it…? Yamamoto…'

"What the hell is that ridiculous stance?" Squalo asked, "Are you planning to play baseball?"

"Unfortunately, I'm not much good," Yamamoto replied, "at anything other than baseball."

"He plans to end it with this strike," Reborn said.

"But that bamboo sword only transforms with it's used with Shigure Souen," Tsuna said.

"That's why Yamamto's father is having him use it," Reborn replied, "If he can't get that bamboo sword to transform, then Yamamoto isn't worthy of becoming successor to the ultimate sword style."

"Then let's hope that the bond between father and son is stronger than Squalo's bloodlust," Percy said.

"Squalo is moving!" interrupted Basil.

"Don't freeze up on me, Brat!" Squalo was making various slashes on the water, making the water away from his feet, "Experience the true power of my sword!"

On the screen, Squalo swung his sword at the waters with as much force as he used to create that dust storm when he first met everyone.

"He parted the waters!" Basil exclaimed.

"Scontro di Squalo," Mammon said. "Is it possible that we will see the mystical technique Squalo used to defeat the Emperor of the Sword?"

"Die!" Squalo created a wave that blocked Yamamoto's sight of him.

"Let's go!" Yamamoto brought up a wave of water and moved, his bamboos sword exposed its blade.

"Shigure Souen Style, 9th offensive form."

"Well, how is it?" Squalo asked.

Though it was a surprise that Yamamoto moved to his right, but Squalo's reaction was faster, changing the water's direction to Yamamoto. Yamamoto was able to block Squalo's attacks as he took steps back. Then he appeared behind Squalo.

'From behind!' Squalo thought. 'You're not bad for making it this far, but my sword has no blind spots.'

The arm that held Squalo's sword turned out to be an artificial arm because it bent backwards, aiming for Yamamoto's stomach.

"An artificial arm?" Dino exclaimed.

"Either he cut off his arm himself or he lost it during a battle," Percy suggested.

Squalo was sure that he stabbed Yamamoto's stomach but what he got feeling down on him was just water. 'It can't be…what I just stabbed was…'

"An illusion projected onto the surface of the water," Reborn explained.

Turns out Yamamoto never got anywhere. He was in front of Squalo all along. Yamamoto was the true successor of Shigure Souen Style because he got the blade exposed. He called his 9th offensive form Mirroring Rain. Because he only used the blunt side, Squalo got a hard attack on his head.

'This is…defeat…,' Squalo thought as he fell into the rising waters.

Yamamoto caught the Half Ring that came off Squalo's neck.

"That was probably the purpose of his use of the Surging Rain," Reborn explained. "With the very first swing of his sword, Yamamoto created waves. It was for the sake of reflecting his image behind Squalo as decoy."

"Awesome! You were right, Reborn!" Percy exclaimed, "He really is a natural hitman."

"I don't think that's a good thing…" said Tsuna.

"Look," Reborn got Percy and Tsuna to turn their attention back to the screen.

On the screen, Yamamoto held the complete Rain ring.

"I won," he grinned.

"That guy…" Gokudera said.

"Thou did it!" Basil exclaimed.

"Wahoo!" cheered Amber.

"Awesome!" agreed Percy.

"What an unexpected twist," Belphagor commented.

"How is this possible…" Mammon pondered.

"Boss." Levi turned to Xanxus.

Xanxus made no comment and thought back to after Squalo defeated the Sword Emperor.

"Squalo…" Xanxus said finally.

"Boss, there's no need for you to do it yourself," Levi protested.

"Should I take care of it?" Mammon asked, "For a special fee."

"Please wait a moment," a Cervello girl landed and bowed her head in respect in front of them, "It is dangerous to enter the Aquarion at the moment. The designated water depth has been reached, and the ferocious sea beast has been released."

"Already…" Tsuna said.

A steel cage on the first floor had kept the ferocious sea beast. After the water was enough to have the cage opened, it was hungry for flesh because it was placed in there for more than 6 hours. The sea beast was a shark.

"Hold…wait a second," Yamamoto protested, "What'll happen to Squalo?"

"As the one who was defeated," answered the Cervello inside the battle field, "Squalo's survival is no longer our responsibility."

"I thought it would be something like that," Yamamoto replied.

He picked up Squalo's body and hoisted him up.

"Hey, Yamamoto!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"What does he think he's doing?" Belphagor asked.

"He can't be thinking about saving him," Mammon replied.

"You—are you an idiot?" Gokudera demanded.

On the screen Yamamoto replied, "It's only normal to rescue someone in this situation, right?"

"Don't say things like that!" Gokudera shouted.

"To try to carrying Squalo in your condition is impossible," Tsuna added.

"You have to leave him, Yamamoto!" Amber shouted, "You may be able to save his life, but you'll destroy his pride. Destroy it and it'll take forever to rebuild!"

It's true that with his injuries, Yamamoto can't walk properly carrying Squalo for more than a couple feet. He stopped because he saw that the shark was getting close to their spot. The water had raised enough to get close to the second floor.

"Because of the smell of blood, the shark is closing in!" Ryohei exclaimed.

"Get…get outta there!" Gokudera shouted.

"Yamamoto, leave Squalo there!" Amber shouted again, "You have to leave him there; otherwise he'll be killed by his members instead! Whether he leaves that place or not, he'll be killed anyway! Rather than having him killed by his members in cold blood, It'd be better to have him be eaten by a shark in hunger!"

"Haha, how scary," Yamamoto laughed, "But, it can't reach us yet."

The shark banged its head against the column that was holding Yamamoto and Squalo. It didn't drop them into the water, but it was enough for the shark to raise its head above the water and eat them into its mouth.

"Crap," Yamamoto cursed.

The shark was getting near.

"Put me down," Squalo said, "You're tainting my honor as a swordsman."

"But…" Yamamoto tried to argue.

"Vooi! You're too noisy! Shouldn't you be listening to that kid anyway!" he said and kicked him off to a boulder that was safe enough to be away from the shark.

Yamamoto saw that the shark was getting to Squalo.

"Brat….your sword kills aren't bad. Next, you should get rid of that naiveness of yours and listen to that boss of yours more," were his last words before he was swallowed whole by the shark.

"Squalo!" Yamamoto cried.

The place where the shark had eaten Squalo was tainted with blood. That only revealed Squalo was dead, eaten by the shark.

Only Xanxus was amused by his faithful subordinate's death. "Buhahahahahaha! In the end, he became fish food! That complete trash! One part of the past is now square."

On the screen, Tsuna saw that Yamamoto was ridden with guilt. Guilt that he couldn't save someone, even though he was going to die anyways, he gripped his bamboo sword and clenched his teeth.

"Damn it," he said.

The screen went over to the Cervello, "The victory in the Scramble Battle for the Ring of Rain goes to Yamamoto Takeshi. Then, we will announce the match-up for the next battle."

"At least…" Tsuna spoke finally, "he was able to keep his honor and not be killed by someone of his friends."

"Yeah," Reborn replied.

'They're still only middle school students…' Dino thought, 'What a cruel battle…'

The Cervello on the screen continued, "Tomorrow night's battle will be the battle between the Guardians of Mist."

"Well, Reborn?" Tsuna asked.

"It's finally that one's turn," Reborn replied.

As the modern day group left to lick their wounds and Dino's men rescued Squalo. Abel and Belial came over, the younger of the two was covered in blood.

"You guys handle any extra spectators?" asked Percy, referring to assassins.

"Yeah, they sent two this time around," answered Belial pushing her blood soaked bangs from her face.

"Seems they don't know how many of us there are," said Amber.

"Luckily there are only two more battles they can show up at," Abel pointed out.

The other three nodded, so far…so good…

_**TBC**_


	6. Chapter 6

"Is it just me or has Amber been acting a little weird ever since we learnt who would be fighting tonight?" asked Belial looking out the window of their hotel room that led to the balcony where Amber was.

"I noticed that too…" agreed Percy as Abel nodded.

"She's been hanging out on the balcony for most of the day, I know she likes the out doors but she locked the door from the outside," said Abel running a hand through his hair.

"She also took her Ipod, that freaky skeleton patterned stuffed cat of hers with her. I thought she only cuddled that thing in her sleep," said Percy.

"It's called a Skelanimal (AN: Real toy brand. I happen to have three plush versions and two plastic ones)," said Belial, "I forget what its name is though…I know the Rabbit is named Jack, like Jack Rabbit, but…I don't remember the cat's…"

"Its name is Kit, like kitty cat," said Abel.

This caused his sister and best friend to stare at him, "Ok…"

Why did he know so much about Amber's treasured stuffed cat, plus he seemed to be the one who was the most concerned about her.

Meanwhile on the balcony Amber hugged her stuffed toy to her chest. She was worried about the battle that day because she knew she might not be able to hold herself her back when she saw Chikusa and Ken AKA her paternal grandparents. As she thought about it the song Reflection by Christina Aguilera started to play and she sang along.

"_Look at me…You may think you see who I really am,_

_But you'll never know me_

_Everyday, it's as if I play a part_

_Now I see if I wear a mask I can fool the world_

_But I cannot fool my heart_

_Who is that girl I see, starring straight back at me?_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

_I am now in a world where I have to hide my heart_

_And what I believe in_

_But somehow I will show the world what's inside my heart_

_And be loved for who I am_

_Who is that girl I see, starring straight back at me?_

_Why is my reflection someone I don't know?_

_Must I pretend that I'm someone else for all time?_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

_There's a heart that must be free to fly,_

_That burns with the need to know the reason why_

_Why must we all conceal how we think, how we feel_

_Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide?_

_I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time?_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside…_"

_**THAT NIGHT…**_

Tsuna blinked at the stuffed cat that Amber had brought along with her this time as they walked to the gym where the battle would take place, "What's with the cat?"

Abel sighed as he adjusted his tie and said, "It's something she treasures, we aren't sure why but she insisted on bringing it."

"Maybe she's just afraid of illusions and brought it to comfort her," suggested Gokudera shrugging.

"That's cute to the EXTREME!" said Ryohei, "It reminds me of when Kyoko was younger."

"Trust me if there's one thing that she's not afraid of its illusions," said Belial glancing at the subject of the conversation whom was standing in a corner while they were waiting for the Mist guardian to show.

The older three of the future group watched as Chrome and her entourage's entrance caused the youngest and most mysterious member of their little group to shed tears and hug the well-loved stuffed cat tight.

"Amber?" Belial tried to get her friend's attention.

"Grandpa…Grandma…" said the half Italian female, more tears rolling down her cheeks, her eyes never leaving Ken and Chikusa.

That's when the others in the little group put two and two together… Amber was the granddaughter of the two underlings/friends of Mukuro Rukudo/Chrome Dokuro! That meant that one of the two was like Gokudera and Squalo. Somehow, Amber knew she had been found out and ran out of the gym, fear of rejection in her eyes.

"Go after her, we can handle this. You said it yourselves that no one would be dumb enough to try and attack during this fight," said Reborn motioning for them to go.

The remaining three nodded before running out of the gym to find the final member of the group. Meanwhile Amber had found an empty park swing to sit on.

"I think we're alone now, Kit," she said looking down at her stuffed toy, "I guess you've always been my only friend and always will be."

She stared out at the scenery, hugging Kit tight when someone -unnoticed by the girl- snuck up behind her, slipped a pair of head phones over her ears. She jumped when the first ending theme for Naruto Shippudin; Shooting Star, started to play and fell off the swing.

The unknown person laughed as they removed the headphones from Amber's head and said, "Hey there, Amber, where are the others?"

The said person had wavy black hair and mischievous brown eyes.

"What are _you_ doing here Damien? You're supposed to be in our time and in France," said the amber eyed girl blinking at him.

"Mom and Dad had me come home and then they sent me here. Apparently they believe that you guys need all the help you can get with the last two battles," said Damien shrugging his shoulders.

Like his cousins he had Sky flames but unlike them he also had Sun flames which were his main flames which meant that he specialized in healing. His box animal was fox named Apollo after the Greek/Roman sun god.

"So why are you here all alone?" asked the second born grandchild of Xanxus and Squalo.

"I don't want to talk about it…But you remember who I once said that I was ordered to keep my family name a secret by my dad?"

"Yeah, why?"

"She's the granddaughter of Ken and Chikusa Joshima," said Abel as the rest of the kids came over.

"Daddy told me not to tell because he wanted people to see the real me and not judge me by who my grandparents were," said Amber not looking at any of the other kids from the future, "Please don't hate me…"

"Why would we hate you?" asked Belial.

"Yeah, after all we've been through you really think we could ever hate you. Besides, we're Famila and that means we'll stick together no mater what," said Abel offering Amber a hankie.

"Not to mention you're the youngest so we have to look out for ya," added Percy.

Amber wiped her eyes, drying her tears and said, "Thanks…It really means a lot to me that you accept me despite my family history."

"Pff! If we were judging family history then ours would be the worst," said Damien pointing at his cousins.

This made her and Percy laugh. The youngest one of the mismatched group felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her. No longer having to hide who she was, who her family was. Despite their differences they would preserver, together.

_**MEANWHILE IN THE FUTURE…**_

Sandro and Tayune Joshima were on a plane over the Atlantic Ocean, headed for Italy. They had been on their way back from a job in a remote area when they received word from Xiana about where, or maybe I should say, when the children were. They were worried, not just because their only child was in the past doing a dangerous mission, but because said child didn't have full control over her powers. If she got too excited in battle or tried to use too much of her power at once she could endanger not only herself but anyone in a ten mile radios. It was part of the reason they had moved after the deaths of Ken and Chikusa. One night not to long after they had died Amber had a horrific nightmare she had panicked and had created a tremendous fire illusion that burned down their house.

"I hope Amber won't have to use her powers too much," said the only son of the two male allies of Mukuro looking at his wife.

"But she has to learn to use them properly someday, she can't hold it back forever. Its times like this that make me wish we could of spent more time with her," said Tayune.

"I know, how about this, once this whole ordeal is over we'll all go on a family vacation, maybe to Disney World or Mafia land, or perhaps we'll go on a cruise," Sandro said taking her hand and kissing it.

The Japanese-American female giggled, "Oh you tease!"

_**TBC**_


End file.
